Photo-litho



7 Sheets-Sheet 1..

(No Model.)

:H. UONRADI. I RAIL CLEANER FOR RAILWAY ORYTRAMWAY RAILS. No. 489,120.

Patented Jan. 3, 1893.

W mJJeJ.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 2;

H. CO-NRADI. BAIL GLBANER POR RAILWAY 0R TRAMWAY RAILS.

No. 489,120. Patented Jan. 3, 1893.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 3.

H. GONRADI. RAIL CLEANER FOR RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY RAILS.

"N 489,120 Patented Jan. 3, 1893 (No Model.)- 7 Sheets-Sheet 4. H.OONRADI.

RAIL CLEANER FOR RAILWAY 0R TRAM-WAY'RAILS. No. 489,120. Patented Jan.3, 1893.

WWI Q -7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

H GONRADI RAIL CLEANER FOR RAILWAY 0R TRAMWAY RAILS-Y Patented Jan. 3,1893.

(No Model.) 7'Sheets-Sheet 6.

H. OONRADL RAIL CLEANER FOR RAILWAY 0R TRAMWAY RAILS.

No. 489,120. PatentedJan; 3, 1893.

7 Sheets-Sheet 7.

.(No Model.)

H. GONRADI. RAIL GLEANER FOR RAILWAY on TRAMWAY RAILS. No. 489,120.

Patented Jan. 3, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY CONE-ADI, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

RAIL-CLEANER FOR RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY RAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 489,120, dated January3, 1893.

Application filed March 29, 1892.

To aZZ whom, it nwby concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY CONRADLasubject of the Queen of Great Britainand Ireland, residing at Crowndale Road, London, in the county ofMiddlesex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRail-Cleaners for Railway and Tramway Rails; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theparts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying sheets of illustrative drawings:-Figure 1. is a planof the rail cleaner mechanism constructed according to this invention.Fig. 2. is a side elevation partly in section. Fig. 3. is an endelevation also partly in section of the same. Fig. 4. is a detail viewshowing the arrangement of the cleaner proper. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11, and 12, are views showing modified arrangements of certain portionsof the apparatus.

Referring to Figs. 1. 2. 3. and 4. the cleaners or scrapers m areattached to the horizontal shaft 0 mounted in bearings 17 so as to becapable of being rotated to a limited ex tent to raise the cleaners offthe rail. The shaft in is operated from the hand lever iconnected by theadjustable links 3 to an arm 1' fixed on the shaft 70. As shown, thecleaner m is on the rail; by moving the lever 15 to the right Fig. 2.the cleaner on will revolve about the axis of the shaft 70 and be raisedoff the rail. The arm 7' is also connected to the rod 12 which slidesfreely in the cylinder at secured to the brackets 1). Within thecylinder a is a spiral spring 9 bearing against a seat 77. in thecylinder, and against an adjustable collar h on the rod. The springtends to force the cleaners m onto the rail: they can be kept oif byfixing the lever t by a catch.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, the shaft7.0 is moved vertically by the hand lever 15 links 3 bellcrank lever rand chain 1 and is forced down to put the scraper m on the rail byspiral springs g one at or near each end. The lever r is fixed on ashaft 0 supported in the bearings b. The shaft is is riveted at or neareach end to a rod Serial No. 426,910. (No model.)

e sliding in a fixed cylinder a and formed with a guide rod 4 surroundedby a spiral spring 9 bearing against the rod 6 and against the top ofthe cylinder a. The tension of the spring is adjusted by the washers h.

The cleaners m Figs. 1. 2. 3. 4. are adjustably fixed to coiled or othersuitable springs Zboltcd to the shaft 70 at a convenient distance apart,corresponding to the gage of the line to be cleaned. The cleaner forordinary grooved tram lines is formed in two parts, one consisting oftwo side wings m bent at a suitable angle so as to throw the dirt off ofthe rail, and the other of a straight central piece a which projectsbeyond the wings and enters and clears the groove in the rail. Thecentral piece and the wings are double ended and are formed with longslots 19 through which the bolt 7 passes so that they can readily beadjusted to the depth of the groove and to the rail. If desired thecleaners may be made in one piece, the wings being formed at either endwith a central projecting tongue.

The springs Z are secured to the shaft is in such a manner that they arefree to move longitudinally of the bar against the resistance of springs14 as shown in Fig.3 to allow for irregularities or deviations in therails, and for curves.

In Figs. 8 and 9 each spring I is bolted by a single bolt to the shaftis so thatit can pivot about the bolt.

In Fig. 3 each spring Z is attached to a sleeve 16 free to slide on theshaft kand spiral springs 14 surround the shaft 70 on one side of thesleeves and bear against the sleeves and against fixed collars 18 on theshaft. The springs 14 bring the springs Zback to their normal positionwhen the irregularity is passed.

In the modified arrangement shown in Fig. 5, the springs Z are rigidlyfixed to the shaft k and the shaft itself is free to slidelongitudinally in its bearings 15 against the resistance of the springs14 which surround the shaft and bear against the fixed brackets 15 andagainst collars 18 on the shaft.

In a further modification shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the end of eachspringZ to which a cleaner m is attached is formed with or socured tothe slotted head 17 in which slides a square part of the bolt 7 securingthe cleaner to the spring so that the cleaner is free to move sidewise.

A triangular shaped brush no is adj ustably attached by the nut 19 to anarm j so as to bear on the rail directly behind the cleaner m and belifted 011 the rail with the cleaner. The brushes m brush the dirt offthe rails toward either side on account of their shape;

. an apex of the triangle being toward the front.

All parts may be protected from mudand dirt by sheet iron or othersuitable coverings.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a rail-cleaner, the combination, with a shaft, of a scraper, aspring connecting the scraper to the shaft, a brush supported by theshaft and arranged behind the said scraper, and a second springoperatively connected to the said shaft and adapted to press the scraperand the brush against the rail, substantially as set forth.

2. In a rail-cleaner, the combination, with a shaft, of a scraperprovided with a projection adapted to engage with the rail,a springconnecting the scraper to the shaft, a brush supported by the said shaftbehind the scraper, a second spring operating to press the said scraperand brush against the rail, and a third spring normally holding thescraper and brush at a certain distance from the longitudinal centerline of the car and permitting them to move laterally, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

3. In a rail-cleaner, the combination, with an oscillatory shaftprovided with a square end and a collar, of a sliding sleeve mounted onthe said square end, a spring secured to the said sleeve, a scrapersecured to the said spring and provided with a projection engaging withthe rail, a second spring operating to press the scraper against therail, and a third spring operating to press the said sleeve against thesaid collar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a rail-cleaner, the combination, with an oscillatory shaft, of ascraper,a spring conmeeting the scraper to the shaft, a brush supportedby the said shaft behind the scraper, and a second spring connected toan arm projecting from the said shaft and operating to turn it and topress the said scraper and brush against the rail, substantially as setforth.

In testimony WhereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY OONRADI.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. MACKENZIE, WILLIAM-H. WHEATLEY,

4O Chancery Lane, London.

